Strawberry plant named ‘Keepsake’

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry named ‘Keepsake’. The new cultivar is primarily characterized by the superior shelf life of the fruit and by the sweetness of the fruit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘Keepsake’ is a new strawberry plant that is Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier.

Variety denomination: The new strawberry plant claimed is of the variety denominated ‘Keepsake’ Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct strawberry cultivar designated ‘Keepsake’ and botanically known as Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier. This new strawberry cultivar was discovered in Beltsville, Md., in Spring 2007 and originated from a cross between the female parent B1031 (unpatented) and the male parent B1181 (unpatented). The original seedling of the new cultivar was asexually propagated in Beltsville since 2007 by rooting daughter plants from stolons of a mother plant. The present invention has been found to be stable and reproduce true to type through successive asexual propagations rooting daughter plants from stolons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new strawberry plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs that show the flowers, fruit and entire plants; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows shows ‘Keepsake’ plants, with 30.5 cm spacing, in annual plasticulture.

FIG. 2 shows a single ‘Keepsake’ plant.

FIG. 3 shows a single ‘Keepsake’ flowering truss.

FIG. 4 shows typical ‘Keepsake’ detached flowers.

FIG. 5 shows typical ‘Keepsake’ fruit at various ripening stages.

FIG. 6 shows a container of ‘Keepsake’ fruit.

FIG. 7 shows typical halved ‘Keepsake’ fruits.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following description of ‘Keepsake’ is based on observations taken from the 2008 through 2018 growing seasons in evaluations in Beltsville, Md. This description is in accordance with UPOV terminology. Color designations, color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate from the stated values and descriptions, depending on variation in environmental, seasonal, climatic, and cultural conditions. ‘Keepsake’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The botanical description of ‘Keepsake’ was taken from plants nine months after establishment in the field. Color terminology follows The Royal Horticultural Society Colour chart, London (RHS86).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Table 1 shows selected characteristics of the new cultivar compared with plant characteristics of ‘Flavorfest’, the closest comparable commercial cultivar. Characteristics include density of individual plant, anther count, pose of calyx segments, size of calyx in relation to fruit, difference in shape between primaries and secondaries, and sweetness.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Density of individual plant Medium Medium to dense Anther count 19.2 24.6 Pose of calyx segments Reflexed to Spreading to spreading clasping Size of calyx in relation to fruit Larger Slightly smaller Difference in shape between Moderate Significant; primary and secondary fruits depressed oblate primary fruits Sweetness of fruit Very sweet Sweet

Table 2 shows plant characteristics of the new cultivar compared with plant characteristics of ‘Flavorfest’. Plant characteristics include plant height, diameter, number of crowns per plant, habit, and vigor.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Plant height (cm) 39.1 41.7 Plant diameter (cm) 45.7 61.5 Number of crowns plant 4.6, 4 to 5 4.6, 3 to 6 Habit Upright open Upright open globose globose Vigor Medium to strong Strong

Table 3 shows leaf characteristics of the new cultivar compared with leaf characteristics of ‘Flavorfest’. Leaf characteristics include leaf type, leaf shape. leaf length, leaf width, terminal leaflet length, terminal leaflet width, terminal leaflet length to width ratio, leaf margins, shape of teeth, leaf serrations per leaflet, upper and lower leaf surface color, number of leaflets, terminal leaflet apex shape, terminal leaflet base shape, glossiness upper side leaf surface, texture upper side leaf surface, texture underside leaf surface and leaf arrangement.

TABLE 3 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Leaf type Semi-evergreen Semi-evergreen Leaf shape Trifoliolate with Trifoliolate with ovate leaflets ovate leaflets touching to overlapping overlapping Leaf length (cm) 12.7 14.3 Leaf width (cm) 15.6 17.6 Terminal leaflet length (cm) 10.2 10.5 Terminal leaflet width (cm) 8.6 8.9 Terminal leaflet length 1.2 1.2 width ratio Leaf margins Serrate Serrate Shape of teeth Apiculate Apiculate Leaf serrations per leaflet 27.2 24.6 Color mature leaves Green Group 137C Green Group 137C lower surface Color mature leaves Green Group 137A Green Group 137A upper surface Number of leaflets 3 3 to 4, mostly 3 Terminal leaflet apex shape Obtuse Obtuse Terminal leaflet base shape Acute cuneate Acute cuneate Glossiness upper side Semi-gloss Semi-gloss leaf surface Texture upper side Very slightly rugose Very slightly rugose leaf surface Texture underside Very slightly Very slightly leaf surface reticulate reticulate Leaf arrangement Individual trifoliate Individual trifoliate leaves attached to leaves attached to compressed stem compressed stem (crown) a ground (crown) at ground level level

Table 4 shows information about the petiole, the petiolule, the bract and the stipule of the new cultivar compared to ‘Flavorfest’. This includes petiole length, petiole diameter, petiole pubescence, petiole color, petiolule color, petiolule length, bract frequency, texture petiole, stipule length, and stipule width.

TABLE 4 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Leaf petiole length (cm) 27.3 31.9 Petiole diameter (cm) 0.5 0.5 Petiole pubescence Very sparse Sparse Petiole color Yellow Green Yellow Green Group 144B Group 144A Petiolule color Yellow Green Yellow Green Group 144B Group 144A Petiolule length (cm) 0.8 0.6 Bract frequency 1 to 2 per 1 to 2 per florescence, florescence, generally unifoliate unifoliate and trifoliate Texture petiole Smooth Smooth Stipule length (cm) 2.0 1.9 Stipule width (cm) 0.6 0.6

Table 5 shows stolon characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Flavorfest’. These characteristics include the number of stolons, the anthocyanin coloration of the stolons, the thickness of the stolons, and the pubescence of the stolons.

TABLE 5 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Stolon production 10 8 Stolon anthocyanin Medium Medium Stolon thickness (cm) 0.3 0.3 Stolon pubescence Sparse Sparse

Table 6 shows inflorescence characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Flavorfest’. These characteristics include inflorescence position relative to foliage, flower type, flower size, petal shape, relative petal spacing, petal apex shape, petal margin, petal base shape, petal length, petal width, petal length/width ratio, number of petals, petal color, stigma color, style color, anther color, filament color, and flower truss type.

TABLE 6 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Inflorescence position Slightly below Slightly below canopy canopy Flower type Complete simple Complete simple Flower diameter (cm) 2.14 2.58 Petal shape Circular to obovate Circular to obovate Petal spacing Overlapping Separate to overlapping Petal apex shape Circular Circular Petal margin Entire Entire Petal base shape Obovate Obovate Petal length (cm) 0.96 1.05 Petal width (cm) 1.05 0.99 Petal length/width ratio 0.92 1.07 Petal count 5.16 5.33 Petal color White Group 155D White Group 155D Stigma color Yellow-Green Yellow-Green Group 150B Group 153D Style color Yellow-Green Yellow-Green Group 150A Group 150B Anther color Yellow-Orange Yellow-Orange Group 20A Group 18A Anther count 19.2 24.6 Filament color Yellow-Green Yellow-Green Group 150B Group 154D Blooming habit Cyme Cyme Anther number 19.2 24.6

Table 7 shows fruit characteristics of the new cultivar compared to ‘Flavorfest’. These characteristics include number of berries per truss, fruiting truss attitude, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit length/width ratio, fruit weight, relative fruit size, predominant fruit shape, difference in shape between primary and secondary fruit, band without achenes, evenness of fruit surface, top color, non-blush side color, blush side color, internal color, achene color, achene count per fruit, insertion of calyx, pose of calyx segments, size of calyx in relation to fruit, ease of calyx removal, firmness of flesh, evenness of flesh color, distribution of flesh color, sweetness, acidity, brix, pH, titratable acidity, texture when tasted, time of flowering, harvest maturity (50% of plants with ripe fruit), type of bearing, and yield.

TABLE 7 Characteristic ‘Keepsake’ ‘Flavorfest’ Number of berries per 7.0 10.6 fruiting truss Fruiting truss attitude Prostrate Prostrate Diameter fruit (cm) 4.6 4.3 Length fruit (cm) 4.0 3.6 Ratio fruit length/width 0.9 to 1.1 0.8 to 0.9 Weight fruit (g) 13.8 14.8 Relative fruit size Medium to large Medium to large Predominant fruit shape Conic to oblate Conic to oblate Difference in shape between Moderate Significant; primary and secondary fruits depressed oblate primary fruits Band without achenes Narrow Absent to narrow Evenness of fruit surface Very even Even Color of top of fruit Red Group 45A Red Group 46A Non-blush side color Red Group 44A, Red Group 45A, 45A 46A Blush side color Red Group 44A, Red Group 45A, 45A, 46A 46A Internal flesh color Orange-Red Group Orange-Red Group 33A, White 155D 33A, White 155D Achenecolor Yellow-Green Yellow-Green Group 151B, Red Group 153C, Red Group 45A Group 46A Achene count 206 312 Insertion of calyx Slight Slight, more depressed on primaries Pose of calyx segments Reflexed to Spreading to spreading clasping Size of calyx in relation to fruit Larger Slightly smaller Ease of calyx removal Difficult Difficult Firmness of flesh Medium to firm Medium to firm Evenness of flesh color Not even Not even Distribution of flesh color Orange-red heart, Orange-red heart, white ring, orange white ring, orange red exterior red exterior Sweetness Very sweet Sweet Acidity Medium to mild Medium Brix (percent soluble solids) 9.0 8.0 pH 3.8 3.8 Texture when tasted Fine and juicy Fine and juicy Time of flowering April to May April to May Harvest maturity Late May to early Late May to early (50% of plant with ripe fruit) June June Type of bearing Short Day/June Short Day/June Bearing Bearing Yield (kg/plant) 0.57 0.90

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL CULTIVARS

When ‘Keepsake’ is compared to female parent, B1031 (unpatented), a full sibling of ‘Flavorfest’ (unpatented), the fruits are more uniform in shape. When ‘Keepsake’ is compared to male parent, B1181 (unpatented), the plants are more resistant to foliar diseases. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 